Mix it up at these unique cocktail bars in Toronto
Toronto bartenders are causing quite a stir thanks to their innovative approach to mixology. Shake up your usual routine and pay a visit to these unique cocktail-focused bars where the expertly crafted drinks are anything but ordinary.
BarChef
472 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2B2Toronto’s serious cocktail connoisseurs praise the innovative creations on the menu at this trendy dimly lit Queen West lounge. Expertly trained mixologists are scientific in their approach when it comes to the experimental drinks, and the bar stocks 5,000 ounces of bitters and syrups that are all made in house. The signature molecular cocktail is a Vanilla and Hickory Smoked Manhattan made with Crown Royal special reserve, vanilla infused brandy, and smoked hickory and vanilla.
Rush Lane & Co.
563 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 2B6For the cocktail connoisseur, this is one of the most important checkpoints in your tour of TO’s finest mixologists. Not only is this Queen West spot easy on the eyes, with luxe touches and overall comfy and casual vibe, its bartenders are also some of the city’s best in concocting everything from smoking cocktails to a vodka martini done right. Our pick? The Beat It, a gin-based spin on the Moscow Mule and the Sex Panther (with a name like that, do you even need to know the ingredients?).
Apt 200
1034 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1H7This second-storey spot is unique in a few ways: one, it’s a charming bar with a pool table, a rare sight in TO. But with pinball machines on one side, chic minimalist couches on the other, and a bar serving up craft cocktails in between, Apt. 200 decidely hovers between a few different kinds of late-night hangouts (it’s also considerable in square footage, leaving lots of space for mingling and dance parties). While it gets live on weekends, the weekdays are more tame, making it an ideal Queen West stop for a cocktail with a pal.
Montauk
765 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1T9Montauk owner Dustin Keating is making plenty of friends on Dundas West thanks to his rotating selection of well-priced craft cocktails. Daily specials with fun names (glass of Unicorn Blood, anyone?) are scrawled in chalk on the wall, and Manhattans and Negronis are available on tap. The bestselling tea-based Tame Impala features a zesty mix of tequila, lime, fresh cucumber and chai tea syrup topped with ginger beer.
Communist's Daughter
1149 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1X3It may well be one of Toronto’s tiniest watering holes, but what it lacks in square footage it makes up for in pure good vibes. The Communist’s Daughter was one of first spots to appear on the Dundas West strip, now saturated with cocktail bars and brewpubs, and it continues to draw locals with it’s mom-and-pop atmosphere and finely rendered craft cocktails. If you’re lucky, you might stop in on vinyl night, when the bartender spins the A-side of an album supplied by someone in the bar, and everyone votes on whether to hear the B-side.
Museum Tavern
201-208 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 3B4Fill your glass with refined old-world cocktails and contemporary new varieties at this quintessential American brasserie overlooking the Royal Ontario Museum. The nostalgic décor features antique copper ceilings, sleek banquette seating, marble tables and a fully stocked bar. For something different, try the barrel-aged cocktails or the seasonal specials like boozy Tiki cones.
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